Dataset Information

Oral health in transition: The Hadza foragers of Tanzania.

ABSTRACT: Conventional wisdom holds that a decline in oral health accompanies the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture, given increased consumption of carbohydrates. This widely touted example of the mismatch between our biology and modern lifestyle has been intuited largely from the bioarchaeological record of the Neolithic Revolution in the New World. Recent studies of other populations have, however, challenged the universality of this assertion. Here, we present the first comprehensive study of oral health among a living population in transition from the bush to village life, the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania, to test the hypothesis that the shift from foraging to farming, or agricultural intensification, inevitably leads to increased periodontal disease, caries, and orthodontic disorders. Our results showed that women living in villages consuming a mostly agricultural diet exhibited more caries and periodontal disease than those living in the bush consuming a mostly wild-food diet. Furthermore, men living in the bush consuming mostly a wild-food diet had more than those living in the village consuming a mostly agricultural diet. These findings are explained by the high incidence of maize consumption in village settings, along with previously recognized variation in rate of caries between men and women. The unexpected discovery of high caries incidences for men in the bush is likely explained by heavy reliance on honey, and perhaps differential access to tobacco and marijuana. These data support the notions that mechanisms of cariogenesis are multifactorial and that the relationships between oral health and the shift from a predominantly wild-food diet to one dominated by cultigens are nuanced.

SUBMITTER: Crittenden AN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5351833 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Oral health in transition: The Hadza foragers of Tanzania.

Crittenden Alyssa N AN Sorrentino John J Moonie Sheniz A SA Peterson Mika M Mabulla Audax A Ungar Peter S PS

PloS one 20170315 3

Conventional wisdom holds that a decline in oral health accompanies the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture, given increased consumption of carbohydrates. This widely touted example of the mismatch between our biology and modern lifestyle has been intuited largely from the bioarchaeological record of the Neolithic Revolution in the New World. Recent studies of other populations have, however, challenged the universality of this assertion. Here, we present the first comprehensive ...[more]

PMID: 28296885

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Oral diseases, such as dental caries, tooth wear, dental erosion and periodontal diseases are major health problems in many societies. The study aim was to explore the association between oral health related behaviors and the presence of oral diseases in adolescents living in Maasai population areas in the northern part of Tanzania. METHODS:A cross sectional study was conducted in 2016 using one stage cluster sample design. A total of 989 adolescents were invited and 906 (91.6%; (Maasais n?=?721, non Maasais n?=?185) accepted the invitation and completed an interview and clinical oral examination in a school setting (mean age 13.4?years, SD 1.2, range 12-17?years). Chi-square test, bivariate analysis and logistic regression were performed to analyze data. RESULTS:Logistic regression revealed that: adolescents with low frequency of tooth cleaning (OR?=?10.0, CI 4.3-20.0) was associated with poor oral hygiene and that more regular tooth cleaning (OR?=?0.1, CI 0.04-0.14) and the use of plastic type of tooth brush (OR?=?0.7, CI 0.53-0.99) were associated with less gingival bleeding. High consumption of biscuits (OR?=?2.5, CI 1.7-3.8) was associated with presence of dental caries and the use of magadi (OR?=?24.2, CI 11.6-50.6) as a food additive was the covariate for more severe dental fluorosis (TF grade 5-9). Regular intake of carbonated soft drinks (OR?=?1.6, CI 1.1-2.5) and regular tooth cleaning (OR?=?1.7, CI 1.1-2.6) were independently associated with dental erosion. Using teeth as a tool for: biting nails (OR?=?1.9, CI 1.4-2.4), opening soda (OR?=?1.8, CI 1.4-2.4) and holding needles (OR?=?1.6, CI 1.3-2.1) were covariates for tooth wear. Adolescents who reported to clench/grind their teeth (OR?=?2.3, CI 1.5-3.7) was the only covariate for TMD. In several of the investigated factors, there were significant differences between the Maasai and non Maasai ethnic groups. CONCLUSION:Oral health related behaviors have a significant impact on oral diseases/conditions among adolescents attending primary schools in Maasai population areas with obvious differences in behavior between the Maasai and non Maasai ethnic groups. There is a need for addressing oral health and to encourage behaviors that promote good oral health and dental care service utilization in this society.

Dataset Information

Oral health in transition: The Hadza foragers of Tanzania.

Publications

Oral health in transition: The Hadza foragers of Tanzania.

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